Month: March 2022

While soaring oil prices hit consumers worldwide, their misfortune means a fortune for others. There will certainly be a “significant boost in government revenue” for some oil-producing African countries as oil prices hit their highest levels since 2008 after the U.S bans imports of Russian oil, the African Energy Chamber tells VOA. “Nigeria, Angola, Libya, …

Read more “Experts Forecast Big Boost in Oil Revenue for Some African Economies”

Ukrainians plead for more weapons to defend their country from attacks two weeks after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has the latest. …

The Biden administration publicly warned Wednesday that Russia might seek to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine as the White House rejected Russian claims of illegal chemical weapons development in the country it has invaded. This week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova — without evidence — accused Ukraine of running chemical and biological …

Read more “Russia May Use Chemical Weapons in Ukraine, White House Warns”

Millions of elderly and disabled Ukrainians are “at high risk” because they are unable to flee the fighting, the United Kingdom Disasters Emergency Committee alliance of leading aid charities warned Thursday. More than 2 million people have fled Russia’s military assault and “older people and those with disabilities in Ukraine risk being left behind and …

Read more “Elderly, Disabled Unable to Flee Ukraine War, Charities Say”

Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a European Union summit later this week aims to assert the bloc’s energy independence from Russia — and strengthen its collective defense. For VOA, Lisa Bryant reports from Paris. Camera: Lisa Bryant Produced by: Rob Raffaele …

A French court on Wednesday sentenced to jail terms of up to 13 years three men charged with connections to the brutal 2016 jihadi killing of an 85-year-old priest.  Father Jacques Hamel was found with his throat slit at the foot of the altar on July 26, 2016, at his small church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, a …

Read more “France Jails 3 Linked to 2016 Jihadi Killing of Priest”

Tall, stately and clad in brightly colored fabrics that stand out against the arid landscape, the women at a U.N. food distribution site in Jonglei state, South Sudan, wait patiently in line in the stifling heat to receive their monthly rations.      “My life changed since [South Sudan’s 2011] independence. Now I’m getting aid …

Read more “Can China Shield Africa From Fallout of Sanctions Against Russia?”

Pablo González is a Spanish journalist also known by his Russian name, Pavel Rubtsov. His Spanish-Russian citizenship might explain the reason for his current whereabouts: a Polish prison cell on accusations of spying for Russian intelligence. If convicted, he could serve up to 10 years in jail. Poland’s secret services claim he used his role …

Read more “Spanish Journalist Denies Spying for Russia”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that a Russian airstrike had destroyed a maternity hospital in the southeastern port city of Mariupol and that children were among those “under the wreckage.” Russia has not commented on the allegation. It has denied targeting civilians in its invasion of Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said …

Read more “Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Accuses Russia of Destroying Mariupol Maternity Hospital”

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris travels to Poland’s capital, Warsaw, Wednesday as the Biden administration and its NATO allies debated the best ways to fortify Ukraine while avoiding being drawn directly into the fighting, which would risk a wider European war. U.S. officials say Harris will be carrying a message to Poland that the United …

Read more “Calls Mount for West to Impose No-Fly Zone, Give Jets to Kyiv”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is headed to Turkey ahead of a meeting Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart at a Turkish resort. Ankara, which has close ties with Moscow and Kyiv, has been seeking to mediate since Russia invaded Ukraine. Turkey’s resort city of Antalya will be the venue for the first meeting between Lavrov …

Read more “Turkey to Host Meeting of Ukrainian and Russian Foreign Ministers”

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, the Ukrainian American community of the Washington metro area sponsored a donation drive for humanitarian relief and supplies for Ukraine, with the help of a local church. Saqib Ul Islam reports from Silver Spring, Maryland, where hundreds of Ukrainian Americans got together for a special service and charity …

Read more “Ukrainian Americans come together to support Ukraine”

In an impassioned video speech earlier this week, Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the Russian shelling of fleeing civilians from a town on the outskirts of Kyiv, saying there can be no forgiveness for the shooting of unarmed people. “Instead of forgiveness, there will be a day of judgment,” he intoned. Germany and Britain are …

Read more “Judgement Day: European Nations Start Probing Alleged Russian War Crimes in Ukraine”

The European Union has agreed to expand its third round of sanctions being imposed on Russia to target a larger number of oligarchs and officials close to President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The French Presidency of the European Council said in a series of tweets on March 9 that the new …

Read more “ EU Agrees to Broaden Sanctions on Russian Officials, Oligarchs”

Dutch brewer Heineken and Universal Music Group have become the latest companies to pause business in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.    Heineken announced Wednesday it also will suspend operations in Russia, including the sale, production and advertising of its popular beer, and said it would “step up support and donations for …

Read more “Heineken, Universal Music Group Join List of Companies Leaving Russia   “

WASHINGTON — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will collaborate with Poland and Romania on next steps to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and reassure them of Washington’s support during her meetings with leaders of both countries starting Thursday.  The countries have been increasingly anxious about Russia’s aggression in the region and are NATO’s easternmost …

Read more “Harris’s Trip to Poland, Romania will Focus on Next Steps Against Russia”

A look at the latest situation on Day 14 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. …

Biden bans Russian energy imports, says won’t subsidize ‘Putin’s war’ …

Full developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine    …

With Russia intensifying its war on Ukraine, killing civilians and triggering a mass refugee crisis, President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a U.S. ban on imported Russian oil. Critics of Russia have said that sanctioning its energy exports would be the best — perhaps only — way to force Moscow to pull back. A full …

Read more “Explainer: What Does a US Ban on Russian Oil Accomplish?”

The Russian Football Union (RFU) has appealed FIFA and UEFA bans on its football teams. The football governing bodies suspended Russia from competition on February 28 following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. “The RFU will demand the restoration of all men’s and women’s national teams of Russia in all types of football in the tournaments …

Read more “Russia Appeals FIFA, UEFA Ban From Football Competition”

The U.S. is banning all imports of Russian oil and gas, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday — a move that he said “will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine” as the Russian army continues its assault on Ukraine. This step, outlined in an executive order, is the latest move by Washington to squeeze …

Read more “US Bans Imports of Russian Oil Amid Ukraine Invasion”

Resistance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine takes many forms. For some people in the Donetsk region, it means flooding their local volunteer center to create supplies for Ukrainian soldiers fighting the Russians. Yaroslava Movchan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. …

U.N. and international aid agencies are calling for an end to hostilities in Ukraine as the number of civilian casualties grows and more people flee in terror to safety in neighboring countries.  The latest U.N. figures put the number of civilian casualties at 1,335, including 474 people killed and 861 injured. The U.N. office of …

Read more “Situation in Parts of Ukraine ‘Apocalyptic’ as People Run Out of Essential Supplies”